Man accused of stealing meat, vodka from Sentry store

A Milwaukee man accused of stealing three times from a Wauwatosa grocery store was charged Monday with retail theft and bail-jumping.

Authorities say Marvin Smith, 45, had taken several hundred dollars in meat and liquor from Metcalf's Sentry Foods, 6700 W. State St., over the past two weeks.

According to a Wauwatosa police:

Store security staff called police Thursday when Smith was seen putting bottles of vodka into plastic bags so it looked like they had already been paid for and pushed them out in a cart.

During the investigation, store staff said security tapes showed Smith, with an unknown female accomplice, took a full cart of merchandise to an awaiting van July 14. The driver, a 36-year-old Milwaukee man, was also been arrested - but the Wauwatosa NOW is not naming him because he has not yet been charged - for parole violations and being party to a crime.

On Sunday at 2:30 p.m., Smith again entered the store taking hot and cold bags and putting bottles of vodka inside. He put toilet paper rolls on top to conceal the items in the cart and walked to the exit.

He told officers he was bipolar and off his medication.

A background check showed Smith was on probation for burglary and had three criminal convictions in the past five years. He is being held at the Criminal Justice Facility.